Expanded Gym & Wellbeing centre.
Odara’s brand new Sanctuary and Wellbeing Centre is a safe, relaxing and soothing women-only space that allows you to unwind and meet other like-minded women.

Our Centre is the only spa, gym, hammam, pool and hot tub* in Birmingham exclusively for women. Inspired by the stunning architecture and colours of Morocco, our Centre provides a haven of tranquillity away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Membership packages are now available.

We run a wide range of workshops created by, and tailored exclusively for women. We’ve listened to you and come up with range of workshops which address your needs and concerns.

Our workshops cover the following topics, so we’re sure you’ll find something that appeals directly to you

Women’s wellbeing

Personal development

Educational development

Social development

In addition we also offer a wide range of health and sport activities to keep you fit as well.

Ask Aysha.
If something’s concerning you and you have a burning question on the matter, then ‘Ask Aysha’.

In this turbulent world of ours we tend to have more questions than answers given the daily bombardment of news, views and opinions we’re subjected to on TV and online. Often this can leave us wondering where to turn, which is why you can contact Odara’s Aysha with any questions you may have about current affairs, politics, family issues – you name it, Aysha can help, or point you in the right direction.

Our blog.
What’s happening in the world of Odara?

We all have our own unique style: a combination of clothing and accessories that expresses everything from our heritage to fashion trends to #currentmood. An ensemble can represent many different facets of your identity, but how you wear or cover your hair carries with it special political importance.

Hair up, hair down, headscarf, hair wrap, blonde or black, what might seem trivial to some is actually something of deep societal significance to women. Whichever way you decide to arrange your locks, the decision is a deeply personal one and should not only be respected, but celebrated. That’s why, today, we’re honouring three women of different faiths and how they use their hair to express various aspects of their identity.

Jessie Kaur Lehail:

Jessie Kaur Lehail is a Sikh trailblazer living in British Columbia, who founded the Kaur Project (a storytelling site around the experiences of modern Sikh women).Raised in a small town outside Vancouver, Jessie struggled to fit in. In one particularly sadistic instance, a girl tried to set her hair on fire. This kind of bullying made her realise that sadly her culture wasn’t understood or accepted by everyone.

In South Asian culture, hair is often perceived as one of the key identifiers of beauty and long hair is one of the five principles connected to the Sikh religion. Growing up, Jessie struggled through uncomfortable discussions around hair, identity and religion. Jessie’s goal with the Kaur to ensure that Sikh women have a safe, open space to discuss these issues freely.

Kelissa McDonald:

Kelissa McDonald is a Jamaican singer and songwriter. To honour the Rastafarian traditions passed down to her by her parents, Kelissa decided to grow dreadlocks.

Kelissa says that being Rastafarian is a personal journey of self-discovery, which involves attempting to live completely naturally. Part of this includes not cutting their hair, resulting in naturally formed dreadlocks.

Whilst following this tradition was never forced upon her by her parents, Kelissa says she was the last in her family to adopt it, starting when she was nine or ten years old.

For Kelissa, growing dreadlocks was about more than identifying with her family and beliefs. She sees it as an extension of her energy, acting as a guide to help her discern the intentions of people.

Ikram Abdi Omar:

Ikram Abdi Omar is a Swedish-British hijabi model who moved from Sweden to the UK with her family when she was just eight. Like a lot of young women, Ikram spent a lot of time watching fashion shows. Immersing herself in the world of fashion, Ikram noticed a serious lack of representation on international runways. As she tried to enter the world of modelling, Ikram found herself confronted by an issue; the hijab she had worn since she was 12-years-old wasn’t accepted within the industry. Ikram stated, “I wanted people to see me as a Muslim…The headscarf allows me to express that. I also feel powerful and beautiful when a lot of people around me wear it.”

After an initial lack of confidence, Ikram started doing free photoshoots for modest fashion brands in order to build her portfolio. After this, Ikram quickly signed onto an agency and made her debut at London Fashion Week.

Ikram views her hijab as a marker of identity, “It stands for modesty and beauty. As I matured, I thought my headscarf shouldn’t limit me, and I just went right into it.”

Being one of the first models to wear a hijab has filled Omar with pride and it propels her even more by knowing she is representing a marginalised group of women. She states, “In the creative arts you don’t see a lot of headscarf-wearing women, but [seeing them] gives young girls hope to pursue anything they want to do in life.”

We recently told you about Nicola Benyahia, the Birmingham mother whose son, Rasheed, was killed fighting for ISIS in Syria.

A few weeks ago, Nicola visited ODARA to tell the story of how her loving, intelligent 19-year-old boy came to be radicalised.

In the year following his death, Nicola set up Families for Life, a Birmingham-based organisation that offers support to families who fear their son or daughter may be susceptible to extremist views.

Like Nicola, we’re also committed to supporting women and their families through difficult times. We run a range of workshops on wellbeing and personal development, while offering an opportunity to unwind in our spa and gym.

We believe women have a right to relax, away from the pressures of work and family life. However, we also want to guide you through the issues both can raise. So in light of Nicola’s story, we wanted to share advice on supporting young people who may be at a stage where they’re impressionable, vulnerable or searching for their place in the world.

Remember – unusual, isolating behaviour is often typical of any teenager. But you know your child better than anyone. If they’re acting particularly out of character, here are some ways you may be able to help them.

– Communication is key. Always be willing to listen and reassure them that they can talk to you about their worries.

– Radicalisation tends to take place in a digital space. We recommend asking your child what apps, games or websites they like. It’s often an easy way to strike up a conversation about their online activity.

– Monitor their internet usage, but don’t be too restrictive. Outright bans can lead to even more secretive habits.

– Away from the internet, take an interest in your child’s social circle without being critical, and even suggest meeting them.

– Encourage them to take pride in their identity, in their faith and community. A strong sense of self-worth fosters better connections with the people around them, including family. Let them know that they can talk to you if they’re feeling unsure about where they fit in.

– Positive activities and hobbies, like sport and volunteering, are a great way to instil a sense of pride, something that will also give them the confidence to question unfamiliar situations and people, whether online or in real life.

– Ensure you child knows who they can confide in, whether it’s you or another trusted adult who may be able to help them.

If you would like more information on the issues in this post, please get in touch with us via the contact details at the botton of our website.

So come and join Odara today.
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0121 439 1511 or 07941771055

We are grateful for the in kind support provided to us through the government's 'Building A Stronger Britain Together' programme. Through this partnership we receive capacity building support across a number of different areas including social media training, communications strategy and campaign development.